Planner II

IRC244062

POSITION SUMMARY:

Under the direction of the Supervisor – Capital Planning, the Planner II will serve as the key planning professional in the Department of Capital Programs. The incumbent will primarily be responsible for coordinating activities related to the development of preliminary and final recommendations leading to Board actions on the annual updates and/or revisions to the Educational Facilities Master Plan (EFMP) and the Capital Improvement Program (CIP). The Planner II will coordinate responses to queries regarding facilities planning data and proposals; prepare educational specifications; participate in Central Office and Board work sessions on the facilities plan and at meetings of community groups and of other jurisdictions and governmental agencies relative to the facilities plan.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.

• Produces the Annual Educational Facilities Master Plan (EFMP) for the State each year due on July 1st, or produce the annual Capital Improvement Program (CIP) for the State and County each year due on October 1st;
• Produces studies, strategic plans and work plans for special projects;
• Responds to stakeholder correspondence/inquiries regarding the status of current and future facilities in the context of program requirements, utilization factors, and condition of facility;
• Reviews Development Plans from M-NCPPC and other municipalities in Prince Georges County, including information on current and projected school utilization;
• Reviews Master Plans and Sector Plans from M-NCPPC and participates in planning workshops;
• Updates the database inventory for the State Public School Construction Program (PSCP) bi-annually in June and December;
• Prepares documents for submission to the Board of Education, and the State and County Officials;
• Produces individual school Education Specifications that define the programmatic and facility needs of CIP projects;
• Coordinates with Project Managers to ensure timely responses and submissions to the Interagency Committee on Public School Construction (IAC) throughout the year to support implementation of CIP projects;
• Attends Schematic Design and Design Review meetings for individual schools;
• Creates GIS maps for planning purposes and make recommendations for improving the software capabilities and administrative practices for the department;
• Participates in other interdepartmental projects as needed;
• Monitors housing market and provides building reports for enrollment forecasting and facility planning;
• Coordinates responsibilities with central school system administrators, school principals, and local government staff;
• Facilitates planning committees with central school system administrators, school principals and local stakeholders; and
• Performs other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS:

The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required.

• Knowledge of planning principles and methods as applied in the setting of a public school system or local government;
• Knowledge and skills in the use of computer software programs to access and analyze data;
• Ability to conduct research and analyze data, distilling key points and discerning trends;
• Ability to manage multiple short and long term assignments independently with limited supervision and direction;
• Ability to present information orally, graphically, and in writing in a clear and succinct manner to the public, educational and facility professionals;
• Ability to work with citizens in small and large groups as well as by phone and in writing;
• Ability to work cooperatively in a team environment with other design professionals and outside consultants;
• Excellent human relations skills;
• Experience in a planning environment applying analytical skills to the interpretation of data and development of plans;
• Experience creating reports graphically and presenting orally and in writing is required;
• Experience with educational facility planning, land use planning, demographic analysis, GIS computer applications, and CADD highly desirable;
• Familiarity with facilities planning principals as they apply to mapping, program writing, space layouts and data analysis preferred;
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Project and Access preferred; and
• Familiarity with State of Maryland, IAC and MSDE requirements for K-12 facilities or experience with institutional capital program submission desirable.

EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:

Bachelors degree in Architecture or Planning from an accredited college or university. A minimum five (5) years experience working in a planning, architectural or facilities office, or other related fields required. College coursework in planning, geography, research methods, and data analysis desirable.

CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

Certification as a Planner preferred; Maryland State Motor Vehicle Operators License preferred.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

No direct supervisory responsibilities.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The physical demands are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand, talk, hear, walk, sit, and use fingers, tools or controls. The employee is occasionally required to reach with hands and arms and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision such as to read handwritten or typed material, the ability to adjust focus, and depth perception. While performing the duties of this job, the employee may occasionally push or lift up to 25 lbs.

WORKING ENVIRONMENT:

The work environment characteristics are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of the job.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

The incumbent will be expected to demonstrate some flexibility in their working schedule in order to meet the demands of planning production deadlines.